Cinder: Book One of the Lunar Chronicles (Paperback)

Winter 2012 Kids' Next List

“The story of Cinderella turned on its head and given a futuristic twist, Cinder is exciting, entertaining, and engaging. A plague is sweeping across Earth and there is no cure, the people of the Moon want to conquer Earth, and the annual Ball is coming in New Beijing. Suddenly, Cinder finds herself embroiled in all three events and she may hold the key to the future survival of Earth. This is the first volume of a planned quartet. I can't wait for the next book!”
— Ellen Richmond, Children's Book Cellar, Waterville, ME

Description

The first book in the #1 New York Times- and USA Today-Bestselling Lunar Chronicles series by Marissa Meyer See where the futuristic YA fairytale saga all began, with the tale of a teenage cyborg who must fight for Earth's survival against villains from outer space. "An interesting mash up of fairy tales and science fiction . . . a cross between Cinderella, Terminator, and Star Wars." --Entertainment Weekly "Prince Charming among the cyborgs." --The Wall Street Journal

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth's fate hinges on one girl. . . .

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She's a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister's illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai's, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world's future.

With high-stakes action and a smart, resourceful heroine, Cinder is a Cinderella retelling that is at once classic and strikingly original.

Don't miss these other books from #1 New York Times- and USA Today-Bestselling author Marissa Meyer:

"This series opener and debut offers a high coolness factor by rewriting Cinderella as a kickass mechanic in a plague-ridden future." --Kirkus Reviews on Cinder

"First in the Lunar Chronicles series, this futuristic twist on Cinderella retains just enough of the original that readers will enjoy spotting the subtle similarities. But debut author Meyer's brilliance is in sending the story into an entirely new, utterly thrilling dimension." --Publishers Weekly, starred review for Cinder

"There's a lot of moving parts in this fresh spin on 'Cinderella, ' the first in a four-book series." --Booklist on Cinder

"Singing mice and glass slippers are replaced with snarky androids and mechanical feet in this richly imagined and darkly subversive retelling of 'Cinderella.'" --The Bulletin on Cinder

About the Author

Marissa Meyer was born and raised in Tacoma, Washington, home of Almond Roca and Stadium High School, which was made famous when Heath Ledger danced down the stadium steps in 10 Things I Hate About You. Marissa didn't actually go to Stadium High School, but she did attend Pacific Lutheran University, where she earned her bachelor's degree in Creative Writing. She still lives in Tacoma, now with her husband. Cinder is her YA debut.

Praise For…

“Singing mice and glass slippers are replaced with snarky androids and mechanical feet in this richly imagined and darkly subversive retelling of ‘Cinderella.’”—BCCB "This is one buzzed novel that totally delivers." —Stacked Books Blog "I absolutely loved Cinder. Marissa took a well known story and created an amazingly fantastic new twist, making this it an all together new story." —Between the Covers Blog "Cinder is loads of fun—mostly due to seeing a familiar story play out in a new setting, but Cinder herself is also a tough, smart, mouthy, resourceful heroine, so spending almost 400 pages with her is completely enjoyable—and I'm totally, totally looking forward to the next one in the series." —Bookshelves of Doom "Terrific." —Los Angeles Times “Author Marissa Meyer rocks the fractured fairy tale genre with a sci-fi twist on Cinderella.” –The Seattle Times

"Debut author Meyer ingeniously incorporates key elements of the fairy tale into this first series entry." --Horn Book Magazine

“What they [readers] do not know until they begin turning the pages of this fable-turned-dystopian-science-fiction novel, is that Meyer’s embellishments create a spellbinding story of their own.”–VOYA

"First in the Lunar Chronicles series, this futuristic twist on Cinderella retains just enough of the original that readers will enjoy spotting the subtle similarities. But debut author Meyer’s brilliance is in sending the story into an entirely new, utterly thrilling dimension. –Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

“Fairy tales are becoming all the rage, with the TV shows Once Upon a Time and Grimm spinning them through a modern filter. The 26-year-old Meyer's debut novel Cinder, though, combines a classic folk tale with hints of The Terminator and Star Wars in the first book of The Lunar Chronicles young-adult series due out Jan. 3.” –USAToday.com

“Cinderella is a cyborg in this futuristic take on the fairy tale, the first book in Ms. Meyer's planned ‘Lunar Chronicles’ series.” –Wall Street Journal, in a round-up called “After Harry Potter: The Search for the Magic Formula”

“…this series opener and debut offers a high coolness factor by rewriting Cinderella as a kickass mechanic in a plague-ridden future.” –Kirkus

“There’s a lot of moving parts in this fresh spin on “Cinderella,” the first in a four-book series.” –Booklist